[pixiedust1603]

I think most of the people who signed the Polanski petition do not know the true extent of his crimes. That obviously is no excuse as just knowing what he did in its most basic and simplest form should be enough to blacklist him. Emma Thompson signed it because her friends pressured her to and retracted it when she read about what he truly did.

[chickadee]

I imagine a lot more were pressured, but the big names, the ones who are essentially autonomous and don't have to rely on anyone to make their careers anymore, I can't imagine they were forced to do anything. I know Western culture likes to say that we're better than places like India and places in Africa when it comes to dealing with sexual assault, and we are. I wouldn't go so far as to say as we live in a "rape culture," that smacks somehow of a fear tactic, but we certainly don't always apply appropriate understanding or outrage to sexual assault, especially when it's perpetrated by powerful men, as DSK and Polanski are evidence of. I'm not saying these guys have to walk around with a scarlet letter tattooed on their forehead, but it's just...I don't know...amazing to me that they're not just walking around, going on with their lives, but basically thriving, while their victims live with the horrors they caused every day.

[Fantomette]

The people in charge of the festival denied inviting DSK.
The most probable scenario is that he was the guest of the woman pictured with him. She was invited because she's in charge of the social marketing and online communication of the french public television. It baffles me because it means she's media-savvy and couldn't not know the reactions his presence would get (I'm no sure about DSK himself, he may be a bit delusional).

The thing that makes the whole situation even weirder is that Abel Ferrara was in Cannes to show the trailer of his movie on the whole DSK scandal.

[HeatherAnne]

And finally Leonardo lands another model. Whew. Though the world was going to implode there. For such a seemingly smart guy, he sure is vapid when it comes to his women. Not to mention how stupid Toni Garrn ends up looking. After his week of advances at hot young things, you're the winner!, uhh congrats?

[Urban Stylin]

who is DSK and what did he do? As for Toni Garn I highly doubt she will end up looking foolish...I mean Gisele and Bar Rafaeli are far from unhappy in their careers

[chickadee]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Urban Stylin who is DSK and what did he do? As for Toni Garn I highly doubt she will end up looking foolish...I mean Gisele and Bar Rafaeli are far from unhappy in their careers

French natives might be able to elaborate or give you better information, but from what I know, he was accused by a maid of rape while he was visiting New York a few years ago, but was never convicted. According to the NYPD, she lied in her initial statement which cast a shadow over her credibility. But shortly after that, another woman (a reporter, I think) accused him of trying to come onto her. He was also investigated or suspected of being connected with a prostitution ring and a gang rape. These subsequent investigations were also eventually dropped.